Map it slowly
Find D on string 5 at fret 5. Play string 5, fret 5; string 5, fret 7; string 5, fret 9; string 4, fret 6; string 4, fret 8. Use a relaxed position and release pressure between repetitions. String 1 is high E.
Whole tone · D · Guitar
D Whole tone scale on guitar
The D Whole tone scale is D E G♭ A♭ B♭ C — formula 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7, step pattern W–W–W–W–W–W. Use it over D7♯5: it is the scale for augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound. Below, every note is marked on the fretboard in standard tuning; press play to hear it on a synthesized guitar while each note lights up, or tap any fret to sound that note.
Visualizer
D Whole tone on the fretboard.
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano
RootScale toneBeing played
Tempo100 bpm
Show
Sound
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass) in the position starting at fret 5. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Your next 10 minutes
Make D Whole tone part of your playing
Make a short phrase
Play D – E – G♭ as two eighth notes and a quarter note, then rest for two beats. Answer with C – B♭ – A♭. Use the space to hear the phrase before repeating it.
Hear it in context
Hold or repeat D as a drone. Play each note of D Whole tone above it, pausing on E and C. Compare their tension with the root. Then improvise using only three notes and two rhythms.
Listen for this: augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound. Treat the scale as a palette, not a requirement to play every note. If a note clashes with a chord or melody, resolve it deliberately or leave it out.
Understand the sound
D Whole tone: from a pattern to a musical choice
Hear B♭ in context
Every step is two semitones, so the scale has no half-step leading tone. The augmented fifth helps create its unsettled dominant colour.
In D Whole tone, degree ♯5 is B♭. Play D, then B♭, then D again. Sing the middle note before touching the instrument.
A mistake to avoid
Symmetry can make phrases sound directionless. Repeat a rhythm and give the phrase a clear destination.
Slow the player to 60 bpm. Record one short phrase and check whether its ending sounds deliberate. Increase the tempo only when you can repeat it without losing the pulse.
D Whole tone versus D Mixolydian
Shared pitches: D, E, G♭, C. Pitches in D Whole tone outside the comparison scale: A♭, B♭. Compare the sounds over the same root, at the same tempo.
Play D Mixolydian on guitar →Your guitar checkpoint
Start with D on string 5, fret 5. The next note E is on string 5, fret 7. Name both notes aloud before playing, then find the same two pitches in another octave.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: D · E · G♭ · A♭ · B♭ · C. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
On piano
The same scale on the keyboard.
Reference
D Whole tone — notes, degrees & intervals.
| Degree | Note | Interval from D | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | E | major 2nd (2 semitones) | W |
| 3 | G♭ | major 3rd (4 semitones) | W |
| ♯4 | A♭ | augmented 4th (6 semitones) | W |
| ♯5 | B♭ | augmented 5th (8 semitones) | W |
| ♭7 | C | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: D7♯5. Use it for: augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to play D Whole tone over through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
D Whole tone FAQ.
What are the notes of the D Whole tone scale?
D E G♭ A♭ B♭ C. As scale degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7. It has 6 notes.
What chords does D Whole tone work over?
D Whole tone fits D7♯5 and, more generally, augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
What is the formula of the Whole tone scale?
1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is W W W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do I play D Whole tone on guitar?
Start on the root D on the A string at fret 5, and play the one-octave position shown: A-string fret 5, A-string fret 7, A-string fret 9, D-string fret 6, D-string fret 8, G-string fret 5, G-string fret 7. Every D on the neck is a root, so the same shape works in every position where the notes are marked.
Keep going
Whole tone in every other key.
Same scale on piano · all Whole tone pages: Whole tone hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from D